About Us

State Park officials are still investigating a shooting from late Saturday night just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, a probe initiated by Parkway Police. The 10:20pm call was to a trail near mile marker 300, a distance off the Blue Ridge Parkway where rangers found 26-year old Chase P. Stockham suffering a gunshot wound to the abdomen from a large caliber handgun.
Rescue units and Watauga Medics rushed to the scene, and the Parkway Police determined the incident was inside the Grandfather Mountain State Park and turned things over to State Park officials. Charlie Peak of the State Park Service said their reports indicate an accidental shooting, that a Jordan Johnston of Blowing Rock had been carrying a gun and accidentally shot Stockham, of Pine Bluff, NC. Watauga Medics and Blowing Rock Fire/Rescue responded and the victim was airlifted from Price Park to Johnson City Medical Center by WINGS Air Rescue, and was admitted to their ICU. Peak said that the investigation is looking at alcohol use and firearm on state property aspects of the incident and that charges may be filed.